This invention relates to an escalator system and, more particularly, to an escalator system with convertible steps for receiving thereon a wheel chair or the like for the handicapped.
Examples of the conventional designs of the escalator to which the present invention pertains can be found in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-230985 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-23283, in which a tread board of some of the steps is moved up and down at the landings as well as Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-238285 in which a wheel stopper mounted on some of the steps can be raised, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-52487 wherein one portion of the tread board is moved up and down between an inclined position and a horizontal position. In these escalator systems, in order to utilize the movable member such as the tread board, the wheel stopper and tiltable tread board, the escalator must be stopped each time the movable member is located at the upper and lower landings, where a movable member drive mechanism such as an electric motor disposed at the upper and the lower landings must be manually operated, whereby the movable member is driven into the actuated position at the entrance of the escalator and driven into the inactuated position at the exit of the escalator.
In a conventional escalator system with convertible steps as described above, the operation of the escalator system must be temporarily stopped in order to actuate the movable member between the actuated and inactuated positions, decreasing the transportation capacity of the escalator system.